2010 F1 Season Review Part 4- Life's What You Merc it | Thebigtip

The 2010 Formula One season was one of the most exciting to date, with a heady mixture of new teams, new regs and a four-way title battle to keep even the least enthusiastic petrol-head glued to their telly screen. In my extensive season review, I'll be taking you through each of the 12 teams' performances, who was hot and who most certainly was not and I'll be giving my raw and unsolicited opinion on whether each team deserved their final finishing place. This one's all about Mercedes GP, and the return of one of F1's most familiar faces...

Drivers: Nico Rosberg / Michael Schumacher

Team principal: Ross Brawn

Car spec: MGP-W01

Engine: Mercedes

Never, one could argue, has a season been more ironic for a Formula One team than 2010 was for Mercedes GP. First, there was the over-hyped return of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, who was never going to produce a miracle after three years on the sidelines. And then there was the notion that, because they'd literally just taken over previous champions Brawn GP, they'd hit the ground running and rake in the trophies from the off. The annual pre-season hype set 2010 up to be a stellar year for the old/new team, who brought the Mercedes name back to the pinnacle of motorsport after a 50-year absence. With the historic name to live up to, and the Brawn/Schumacher dream team at the helm, the so-called Silver Arrows were billed for greatness even before a wheel had turned in anger.

With reigning champion Jenson Button (who piloted Mercedes' previous guise to astonishing title glory in 2009) off to start a glittering new career at McLaren, a star replacement was required to assist young German Nico Rosberg in mounting a believable assault on the title. Rosberg, himself having spent his four-year F1 career solely at Williams, was eager to prove his worth as a competitive driver with a different team. Williams had not shone since the BMW sponsorship days of 2001-4, and Rosberg needed his calling if he was to break the frustrating habit of being an also-ran. Whoever thought immediately of dragging Michael Schumacher from his comfy chair and thrusting him back into the cockpit must have thought the legendary driver so cool, he could shake off the cobwebs of three years' F1 absnce and start the job just as he had left in 2006. If only.

Fifth and sixth for Schumacher and Rosberg respectively in a processional season opener wasn't bad for two new signings in a fresh team but it was plain from the looks on certain people's faces that they believed a higher result could have been pushed for. (True, Ross Brawn always looks glum whether he's winning or not, but you have to make exceptions for some people). It was Rosberg from this point, and not Schumacher, who ran with the team's number one status, and produced two solid thirds in both Malaysia and a drizzly China. So-called 'Rain Master' Schumacher crawled to 10th in China to pick up a measly point, re-iterating to anyone who knew anything about F1 that his return had simply not been worth it. Of course, Mercedes was quick to blame the car's poor set-up and ill weight distribution as a factor for its underperformance: nothing to do with the fact that the driver was 41 and getting past it. They revised the chassis for Barcelona, where he outqualified Rosberg and monstered to fourth place on race day. The feat was repeated by Schumacher two rounds later at Istanbul and he slowly started to look like the world-beater he had once been.

It all fell apart as quickly as it had come together, with set-up issues buffeting them both out of Q2 in Valencia, and Rosberg only claiming a point for 10th after a number of other drivers had been slapped with penalties for speeding under the safety car. Surprisingly, the younger German managed to wrangle something out of the argumentative W10 to gift Mercedes another podium position with third at Silverstone. But still that elusive maiden F1 victory eluded him, and the feeling grew ever stronger that 2010 was not the year for that win. 

His elder team mate was by now a shadow of his former self, often pictured looking glum and dejected with life as opposed to the bright, vibrant character he had been in those distant days of world title glory.  A controversial move on former dream team partner Rubens Barrichello proved that the fire hadn't burned out completely at the Hungaroring, as a bullish charge down the outside of the startled Brazilian came within inches of slamming him into the pit wall. The ensuing outrage that rippled through the paddock was far more interesting than the incident itself; a pure clear display that controversy will forever follow this figurehead around like the fly to the proverbial flame.  

The same line-up remains at Mercedes GP in 2011, and young Rosberg needs to start showing his mettle more often if he wants to stamp his authority on his world champion father's former playground. Schumacher's had more than his share of morsels from the top shelf, and it's high time he was put out to grass again.

Rosberg finished: 7th

Schumacher finished: 9th

Bev's verdict: Oh dear Mercedes. They talked up the worst driver, and virtually ignored the better man. Rosberg to sneak a maiden F1 win at a legendaty circuit such as Monte Carlo, Silverstone or Spa. Schumacher to slope off into retirement halfway through the season, or to buy out Hispania Racing to nurture his son's promising racing career.

Images taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org/